Mesopotamia, literally meaning ‘Between the Rivers', includes modern Iraq, north east Syria, and south east Turkey spanning across the rivers of the Tigris and Euphrates. As the cradle of urban civilization, many modern developments owe their origins to ancient Mesopotamia such as the invention of writing, complex administration and astronomy. The Mesopotamian civilization witnessed the flowering of sophisticated art and literature together with remarkable achievements in intellectual, spiritual and scientific realms that still have a profound influence on modern life today. Showcasing more than 170 artefacts from the British Museum, this exhibition explores significant episodes of  ancient Mesopotamian history from 3500 to 539 BC – the birth of cities in Sumer, the powerful military empire of Assyria and the development and legacy of cosmopolitan  Babylon.